Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Gradually stir in the hot water until the batter is smooth.
- Pour the batter evenly into the prepared cake pans.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes before inverting them onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- While the cakes cool, prepare the frosting. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter until creamy.
- Gradually add the powdered sugar and cocoa powder, alternating with the milk, beating until smooth and creamy.
- Stir in the vanilla extract.
- Once the cakes are completely cool, place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread a layer of frosting over the top.
- Place the second cake layer on top and frost the entire cake.
- Decorate the cake with Halloween-themed sprinkles, gummy worms, or candy eyes as desired.
Notes
You can add orange or black food coloring to the batter for a more festive look. For a spooky spiderweb effect, drizzle white frosting over black frosting and use a toothpick to create the web pattern.